Improvement in hame-tugs



UivrTnD STATES PATENT Ormea.

JOHN W. DENTON, OF PARIS, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAME-Tues.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,046, dated December'22, 1874; application filed November 7, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. DENTON, of Paris, in the county of Edgar andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHame-Tugs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this speciication.

It is the object of my invention to produce a metallic flexible hame-tugwith clip for hamerin g and loop-piece for back-band, belly-band, andbreeching-strap combined, the device being constructed in such manner asto be perfectly exible, aii'ord easy adjustment, obtain great strength,and avoid the punching of holes in the traces.

My invention consists, first, of a flexible metallic tug, composed of aseries of squares, for the trace-connection, united, by fixed couplings, with each other, and at each end to the clip and the loop-buckleguard-piece, all mounted upon a flexible backing of leather; second, inthe combination of a trace-catch having an enlarged flan ged head, andguttered on its under side, with tug-squares having inner locking earsor projections, and the outer convex end ofthe fixed coupling foraffording a hold and bear-in g for the trace-catch; third, in thecombination, in such a tug, of the eared squares with ixed couplings,provided with end sleeves for the reception ot' the pintles of saidsquares, whereby said squares may be thrown at right angles, or nearlyso, for the purposeof inserting or removing the tracecatch, and formaintaining a lexible connection between said squares and couplings, aswill be set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a view, inperspective, of my improved tug with trace attached; Fig. 2, a view ofthe metallic tug as mounted upon its backing; and Fig. 3, a side view,showing one of the squares thrown in position for adjustment of thetrace; and Fig. 4, a detailed perspective of the same.

The metallic tug is about from twelve to eighteen inches long, and iscomposed of aseries of from three to ve squares, A, united by couplingsB, and at the ends united to the clip G and the loop-buckle guard-pieceD, the whole being mounted upon aexible leather backing, E, to which thecouplings B, clip C, and loop-piece D are riveted at a c a.; and therecouplings B are txed and riveted only in the middle by 011e rivet, so asto leave their ends free as regards the backing E, in order to allow forthe play of the squares while insertin g or removing the trace-catch, aswill be presently described. The ends of. tbe clipplate and loop-pieceplate adjacent to the couplings are similar to the ends of thecouplings, so as to preserve corresponding connections for the squaresthroughout. These fixed couplings B are of oblong-shaped plates, which,at each end, have hinge-sleeves b, which serve the double function ofreceiving the pintles of the squares and forming, by their convex outersides, seats for the catch-piece of the trace. As before stated, theends of the clipplate and loop-plate guard have similar sleeves b forthe reception of the pintles ot' the squares. These squares A have thetwo sides which are transverse of pintles c, which play, hingelike, inthe sleeves b, so as not only to preserve a iiexible connection, butafford means for throwing saidsquares in a line at right angles, ornearly so, to the couplings, for the purpose of inserting or removingthe tracecatch. The remaining sides of these squares A have innerlocking ears or projections d, which form arrests for the trace catchwhen inserted. AThe trace-catch G is of peculiar formthat is to say, itis an oblong metallic piece riveted to the trace H, and having anenlarged head, e, which has lower lip projections or flanges f, theunder side, in rear of its head c, being guttered or hollowed out at gto coincide with the outer convex of the sleeve of the couplings.

When the trace-catch G is desired to be inserted in any one of thesquares A the latter is thrown into a position at right angles, ornearly so, to the tug by grasping the tug with the hands a shortdistance from the ends ot' said square, and making the hands approach,so as to give a bend to the leather backing. Said square A being thusbrought into the requisite'position, the catch Gr is inserted, as

shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the flanges f thereof passing under and beingheld by the lockingears Z of the square, and, the pressure beingreleased and the trace H drawn taut, the guttered portion g coincidesand seats itself against the convex outer portion of the sleeve b for arin bearing, the keeping of said trace H in suoli conjunction beingassisted by the loop-buckle guard-piece D of the tug, which piece Dconfines the trace in line with the tug and keeps its catch in thesquare. This loopbuckle guard-piece D is riveted to the backing E atboth its ends, at (1, a', commencing with the hinge-sleeve b for thepintle of the last square A, and continuing for a short distance in aforked llat plate, h h, from which bows fi z rise and support thebreeching-strap loop j; and at the side of each bowz' are upper andlower loops 7o Z for the back-strap and belly-band, the bows terminatingin a transverse plate, m, which is also riveted to the leather backing.These bows z' i, in connection with the loop-plate j, form a guard orconiining-loop for the trace H, and take the place of the tug-loop incommon use.

The trace is lengthened or shortened by inserting its catch in a forwardor a rear square,

laccordingto the length required.

Thus is produced a perfect trace-tug, so connected to the trace as toavoid any possible weakness; and its flexibility of construction rendersit not onlyT easy of adjustment, but free fron) the accidents whichoccur to rigid parts by careless handling` in the harness-room.

I claiml. A flexible haine-tug of metal, composed of a series ofsquares, A, for the trace-connection, united by iXed couplings B, and atthe ends to the clip C and loop-buckle guard D, and mounted upon allexible backing, E, as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The trace'catch G, having an enlarged flanged head and guttered underside, as described, in combination with the tug-squares A, having innerlocking-ears, and the outer convex end of the coupling-sleeve, as andfor the purpose described.

3. The eared squares A, in combination with couplings B, provided withend sleeves b, for receiving the pintles c of said squares, asdescribed, and to effect the purposes stated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have affixed my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

l JOHN w. BENTON,

Witnesses:

GEO. W. BRowN, ALFRED TANNER.

